Football - Scottish Premier League - 29/4/89 Rangers' manager Graeme Souness gives an interview Mandatory Credit: Action Images
Graeme Souness was in full Kenny Miller mode as TalkSPORT discussed Scottish football this morning.
Celtic’s victory in Saturday’s Glasgow Derby leaves the hoops needing just one point from their final two matches to claim their 12th SPFL title in 13 seasons.
After angling for a salary and recommending Frank Lampard to take over as manager ahead of Phil Clement, Souness had to settle for an unspecified Ambassador role from James Bisgrove with no connection to the football departments.
As recently as March Souey was hoping to celebrate a Quadruple success with a march to Dublin to watch James Tavernier lift the Europa League.
Clement’s failure to beat Celtic in three attempts has exposed the limitations of a Proper Football Manager but rather than address the obvious Souness stuck to the line that points dropped to Ross County and Dundee had cost Clement the title in his first season.
Had those matches been won Celtic would have a one point lead going into the last two matches but dealing with reality has always been a problem for Souness and his new buddies at Ibrox.
Graeme Souness and Jim White clash in heated Rangers radio row as spiky host wails ‘they’re unrecognisable’https://t.co/PakHJqanca pic.twitter.com/gRTDnOeQ3U
— Daily Record Sport (@Record_Sport) May 13, 2024
Souness: “The sending off was a sending off in the modern game and it was a difficult game for them after that. He had a nanosecond and he thinks he’s favourite for it. The temptation was too great. I think he’s a good player and does a good job but you go to ground and you risk everything. Whoever you tackle will make a meal of it and that’s not being critical of the Celtic full back (Alistair Johnston).
“The last three Old Firm games… for me there’s not a lot between them. They drew 3-3 at Ibrox where they came back from the dead and they’ve lost two games 2-1 at Parkhead and they’ve gone down 10 men. I don’t believe there is a big difference between the two teams but ultimately you know at the start of each season you’re going to win the league or lose it by your Old Firm results.”
White then said: “There are those Graeme who say there’s a gulf…”
Souness said: “There’s a gulf. They’re ahead of Rangers. How do you expect me to answer this question? I’m trying to give you some facts to back up my thinking.”
White: “You’re saying there’s not a lot between the two?”
Souness: “There’s not a lot between the two. For me, they have better strikers. I don’t see a gulf in the quality of football they play. They have better goal getters which ultimately does decide games. If we go and win the Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park then Rangers would have two out of the three trophies available, but of course the league is the most important.”
White: “And Celtic are on course for their 12th title in 13 season.”
Souness: “Yes, and that hurts. Of course that hurts. But the new manager has done a fabulous job. He’s been there for six, seven months. He’s signed three players – two on loan – and spent £4.3 million on (Mohamed) Diomande to change things.
“I’m hoping this window the club somehow finds the dosh to support him and he can get some of the players in that he knows and trusts and will make the difference in the league next season but I would not be critical of the manager or the players right now. He’s getting a tune out of those players. They slipped up badly at Ross County and Dundee and that’s why it all came down to Saturday’s game.”
White: “But he needed to get a tune out of them at Ross County and Dundee.”
Souness: You can ask me in any guise you want. I won’t be critical of the manager and he could still end up with two trophies. You want me to criticise them and I won’t.”
White: “I think Rangers fans have their heads in their hands at the moment even although there’s a cup final coming up. This is an unrecognisable Rangers.”
Souness: “I won’t be critical of them.”
ENDS
Voices were raised in the TalkSPORT studio as Souey dug in like Miller, adamant that the hoops weren’t miles ahead of their city rivals.
You can win a league by a point or a goal, there is no requirement to be miles ahead.
White and Simon Jordan are no fans of Celtic, far from it in the case of White but they could see through the stupidity of the former Rangers boss as he kept on digging.
Which pundit is the biggest laughing stock in Scottish football?
MILLER His Lundstram defence will never be exceeded, will it?
BOYD Consistently off the radar, every week, great consistency
Peeness has never got over the humiliation he suffered as Blackburn manager at the hands of Henrik et al at Ewood Park, particularly the constant and justified abuse from the Celtic support that night, after he had talked about “boys against men”
He is, always was, and always will be a total fanny.
The gulf…10-1. That’s what has cost them the title.
‘We’ from the guy that ‘was’ a Hearts supporter…
Just like Kenny ‘we’ Miller that ‘was’ a Hibernian supporter…
And Neil ‘we’ McCann that ‘was’ a Celtic ‘and Morton’ supporter…
By fcuk there are some amazing amount of ‘jump the dykes’ that go in the doors of Liebrox ‘supporting’ other teams that come out as crazed and rabid Sevco fans for certain.
It must be the ‘we’ (pish) that is in the water in that utter bastion of bigotry for sure !
There is certainly a gulf between Souness and Brendan when comparing managerial/coaching skills and success. To support and endorse a long ball game and out of control tackles merely underlines his macho neanderthal instincts and opinions.
Cultured……my arse
No mention of the points celtic dropped against other teams to let them back in and give them hope ? .going by his views we should be nine points clear then . Whit a roaster
The modern game eh!? You just cant get in there and break a leg anymair its fuckin diabolical so it is.
The guy is utterly beyond any redemption of any sort.
A pair of foolish idiots,
Why do I get the sense that the SMSM and other outlets are totally underwhelmed at Celtic FC being Champions of Scotland again ? Complete indifference and disinterest at the feat . Can you imagine the euphoria everywhere if the shoe was on the other foot ? I know that there is a lot of bad losers in wee Scawlin ,but I did not know the full extent of it ….until now !
I wish Sumwan wid just LEATHER that Wanker Peeness! Al volunteer, guys just a BIGOTED Tory Hun Bastard!!
Lundstrum is a good player and does a good job?
That would be the main reason that we won on Saturday, then?!
SOUEY has a very serious heart condition, best not get excited, LOL.